US embassies in the Muslim world were on high alert Friday following days of violent protests against an anti-Islam film. Germany, too, closed several embassies in fear of attacks. Some German commentators argue that the violence shows that Obama's Middle East policies have failed.

After days of protests over an anti-Islam film, American diplomatic missions in the Middle East and North Africa were braced for further violence after Friday prayers. The US put its overseas missions on high alert.

Germany has closed its embassies in a number of Muslim-majority countries in fear of attacks. "We are observing how the security situation develops with great attentiveness and we have increased security precautions at a number of foreign missions," a spokesman for the German Foreign Office told SPIEGEL ONLINE. Embassies in North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan are believed to be among those affected.The spokesman said that the missions would only close on Friday, though. Other German institutions such as aid organizations have also been urged to increase security precautions, he said.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said he was "deeply concerned" about the attacks on US embassies. He called on the countries in question to protect foreign missions. "Diplomats have to be able to do their work without fear," he said.

Westerwelle said he could understand the outrage that many Muslims felt about the anti-Islam film. "But this outrage cannot justify violence."

We cast aside Hosni Mubarak on a moment’s notice without taking steps to give non-Islamist parties a timetable to organize an effective transition; we overthrew Muammar Gaddafi, teaching tyrants the lesson that giving up nuclear ambitions is a deadly mistake, and then promptly departed leaving chaos; and we have isolated Israel among a sea of Islamist radicals as it seeks to stop the Iranian’s march towards nuclear weapon capability.

And all the while, our own government places blame on some previously unknown guy for making some previously unknown film which might be real or not, which people who hated us before the film take as an insult to Islam.

We’ve even sent out federal law enforcement to locate and report on someone who committed no crime.

Yes, our government even issued apologies over and sympathies for the hurt feelings of those burning our embassies and killing our Ambassador, while condemning the resulting violence. We are, once again, hostage to the hurt feelings of those with perpetually hurt feelings, and we will sympathize with them so long as they don’t go that last step and actually pull the trigger.

Life with a hurt feelings gun to our head begging that the trigger not be pulled is the change we apparently were waiting for.

Talk about perverse ironies. This all comes from an administration and political party backed by people who regularly denigrate Christianity, and who are running a campaign focused on forcing American Catholics to abandon their religious principles and to cast aside their hurt feelings on issues of life.

This all is a result of Barack Obama’s delusional approach to the Middle East, one in which we are the perpetual villain, and in which we had to supplicate ourselves and our allies by heaping praise on people who do not ever return the favor.

Outreach to Muslims in the Middle East who return the respect is one thing, and should be encouraged; prostrating ourselves either physically or intellectually to Islamists is quite another thing.

Caslon21000 saidWast this whole bring democracy to the Middle East a Bush/Repub foreign policy that ...again...Obama inherited. It wasn't like O could stop the populations from demonstrating in their own countries.

That's not what he claimed. Things have deteriorated considerably under his watch - further he did nothing to help plan for, work with the administrations that came after the despots that fell following the Bush Administration. Instead of supporting the basic principles of democracy and freedom, he withdrew support in budgets.

This isn't something Obama inherited - this is a problem he allowed to happen.

Caslon21000 saidWast this whole bring democracy to the Middle East a Bush/Repub foreign policy that ...again...Obama inherited. It wasn't like O could stop the populations from demonstrating in their own countries.

That's not what he claimed. Things have deteriorated considerably under his watch - further he did nothing to help plan for, work with the administrations that came after the despots that fell following the Bush Administration. Instead of supporting the basic principles of democracy and freedom, he withdrew support in budgets.

This isn't something Obama inherited - this is a problem he allowed to happen.

Caslon21000 saidWast this whole bring democracy to the Middle East a Bush/Repub foreign policy that ...again...Obama inherited. It wasn't like O could stop the populations from demonstrating in their own countries.

That's not what he claimed. Things have deteriorated considerably under his watch - further he did nothing to help plan for, work with the administrations that came after the despots that fell following the Bush Administration. Instead of supporting the basic principles of democracy and freedom, he withdrew support in budgets.

This isn't something Obama inherited - this is a problem he allowed to happen.

Well...why didn't Canada step in and do it then?

Canada doesn't have the international presence, strength, or military to do anything like that with credibility - but look at how they at least closed their embassy in Iran. On the other hand, Obama claimed that things would improve under his leadership.

Caslon21000 saidWast this whole bring democracy to the Middle East a Bush/Repub foreign policy that ...again...Obama inherited. It wasn't like O could stop the populations from demonstrating in their own countries.

That's not what he claimed. Things have deteriorated considerably under his watch - further he did nothing to help plan for, work with the administrations that came after the despots that fell following the Bush Administration. Instead of supporting the basic principles of democracy and freedom, he withdrew support in budgets.

This isn't something Obama inherited - this is a problem he allowed to happen.

Well...why didn't Canada step in and do it then?

Canada doesn't have the international presence, strength, or military to do anything like that with credibility - but look at how they at least closed their embassy in Iran. On the other hand, Obama claimed that things would improve under his leadership.

Cop out. If Canada is not going to put anything in, then you don't get any say. If Canada can't do better, then youve got no ground to criticize. Go protect some baby seals. Can Canada do that?

Caslon21000 saidWast this whole bring democracy to the Middle East a Bush/Repub foreign policy that ...again...Obama inherited. It wasn't like O could stop the populations from demonstrating in their own countries.

That's not what he claimed. Things have deteriorated considerably under his watch - further he did nothing to help plan for, work with the administrations that came after the despots that fell following the Bush Administration. Instead of supporting the basic principles of democracy and freedom, he withdrew support in budgets.

This isn't something Obama inherited - this is a problem he allowed to happen.

Well...why didn't Canada step in and do it then?

Canada doesn't have the international presence, strength, or military to do anything like that with credibility - but look at how they at least closed their embassy in Iran. On the other hand, Obama claimed that things would improve under his leadership.

Cop out. If Canada is not going to put anything in, then you don't get any say. If Canada can't do better, then youve got no ground to criticize. Go protect some baby seals. Can Canada do that?

How is that a cop out? Canada has been a staunch ally of the US when it has come to pursuing its diplomatic and military goals. The US achieves legitimacy for what it does by having friends when they do them. If anything I should be in a better position than you then to point out what a failure your current President's foreign policy agenda has been.

And as for baby seals, I'm ok if they're harvested given their impact on fish stocks.

Caslon21000 saidWast this whole bring democracy to the Middle East a Bush/Repub foreign policy that ...again...Obama inherited. It wasn't like O could stop the populations from demonstrating in their own countries.

That's not what he claimed. Things have deteriorated considerably under his watch - further he did nothing to help plan for, work with the administrations that came after the despots that fell following the Bush Administration. Instead of supporting the basic principles of democracy and freedom, he withdrew support in budgets.

This isn't something Obama inherited - this is a problem he allowed to happen.

Well...why didn't Canada step in and do it then?

Canada doesn't have the international presence, strength, or military to do anything like that with credibility - but look at how they at least closed their embassy in Iran. On the other hand, Obama claimed that things would improve under his leadership.

Cop out. If Canada is not going to put anything in, then you don't get any say. If Canada can't do better, then youve got no ground to criticize. Go protect some baby seals. Can Canada do that?

How is that a cop out? Canada has been a staunch ally of the US when it has come to pursuing its diplomatic and military goals. The US achieves legitimacy for what it does by having friends when they do them. If anything I should be in a better position than you then to point out what a failure your current President's foreign policy agenda has been.

And as for baby seals, I'm ok if they're harvested given their impact on fish stocks.

I don't agree that Canada couldn't do anything in these countries. You're there. You can organize the opposition parties. You can pay the taxes to fund them. You can do whatever you think needs to be done. It's just easier and cheaper for Canadians to leave it to America to do the heavy lifting.

Your assertion is as pathetic as America having to go fight in Kosovo. The fucking Europeans could have walked there. But no!!! We had to go do it for them. This whining "oh America, you gave to do this or that" a d then you bitch about afterwards is just pathetic.

If you ain't gonna do, then you got to business getting all butthurt about how someone else does it.

Caslon21000 saidWast this whole bring democracy to the Middle East a Bush/Repub foreign policy that ...again...Obama inherited. It wasn't like O could stop the populations from demonstrating in their own countries.

That's not what he claimed. Things have deteriorated considerably under his watch - further he did nothing to help plan for, work with the administrations that came after the despots that fell following the Bush Administration. Instead of supporting the basic principles of democracy and freedom, he withdrew support in budgets.

This isn't something Obama inherited - this is a problem he allowed to happen.

Caslon21000 saidWast this whole bring democracy to the Middle East a Bush/Repub foreign policy that ...again...Obama inherited. It wasn't like O could stop the populations from demonstrating in their own countries.

That's not what he claimed. Things have deteriorated considerably under his watch - further he did nothing to help plan for, work with the administrations that came after the despots that fell following the Bush Administration. Instead of supporting the basic principles of democracy and freedom, he withdrew support in budgets.

This isn't something Obama inherited - this is a problem he allowed to happen.

Well...why didn't Canada step in and do it then?

Canada doesn't have the international presence, strength, or military to do anything like that with credibility - but look at how they at least closed their embassy in Iran. On the other hand, Obama claimed that things would improve under his leadership.

Cop out. If Canada is not going to put anything in, then you don't get any say. If Canada can't do better, then youve got no ground to criticize. Go protect some baby seals. Can Canada do that?

How is that a cop out? Canada has been a staunch ally of the US when it has come to pursuing its diplomatic and military goals. The US achieves legitimacy for what it does by having friends when they do them. If anything I should be in a better position than you then to point out what a failure your current President's foreign policy agenda has been.

And as for baby seals, I'm ok if they're harvested given their impact on fish stocks.

I don't agree that Canada couldn't do anything in these countries. You're there. You can organize the opposition parties. You can pay the taxes to fund them. You can do whatever you think needs to be done. It's just easier and cheaper for Canadians to leave it to America to do the heavy lifting.

That's always been what's happened - including when it comes to healthcare. But again, this is a reflection of the failure of American foreign policy under the Obama Administration - and this is an objective fact in light of what's happened.

Perhaps but is it that difficult for you to acknowledge that Obama's foreign policies have been emerging as a failure by his own metrics? It's the one issue that he could have probably clearly claimed leadership on over Romney-Ryan given domestic ... we'll call them issues.

Caslon21000 saidSo let me personally extend the invitation to Canada to push its way to the front of the line and do any of these international actions that you deem so worthy for someone to do in another's country.

But until Canada does, and you pay the taxes, build the military, take the risks, assume the responsibilities for the long haul, you can SHUT THE FUCK UP!

And stop worrying your pretty little head about Obama. His performance ain't any concern of a sideline-sitting, no responsibility-taking foreigner.

I think Obama has done just fine. And between the two of us, Riddler, my opinion is the only one that counts.

Now you go spend your time and energy and money getting Canada to do all the things you think should be done better than Obama has done.

I end up having to pay a lot in US taxes - probably more than most people here sadly.

His performance is very much of concern given that the upheaval in the Middle East affects more than the Americans.

Caslon21000 saidSo let me personally extend the invitation to Canada to push its way to the front of the line and do any of these international actions that you deem so worthy for someone to do in another's country.

But until Canada does, and you pay the taxes, build the military, take the risks, assume the responsibilities for the long haul, you can SHUT THE FUCK UP!

And stop worrying your pretty little head about Obama. His performance ain't any concern of a sideline-sitting, no responsibility-taking foreigner.

I think Obama has done just fine. And between the two of us, Riddler, my opinion is the only one that counts.

Now you go spend your time and energy and money getting Canada to do all the things you think should be done better than Obama has done.

I end up having to pay a lot in US taxes - probably more than most people here sadly.

His performance is very much of concern given that the upheaval in the Middle East affects more than the Americans.

Canada, we cry out to thee to go do better. Do better, Canada! Show the world how to do better. We're waiting.

Riddler, stop wasting time on RJ. Get Canada to do better. All your future posts should be about what Canada is doing to solve all these problems. Tell us how Canada is taking the lead and solving the problems better.

And dont tell me Obama is your concern too because it affects you. If Canada were doing it, Obama and America wouldnt have to. He is only your concern because Canada ain't doing it. So get Canada to do it. Go, Canada, go!

Oh I'm so happy to hear that you are going to get Canada to take the lead.